Cristina Odone is a journalist, novelist and broadcaster specialising in the relationship between society, families and faith. She is the director of communications for the Legatum institute and is a former editor of the Catholic Herald and deputy editor of the New Statesman. She is married and lives in west London with her husband, two stepsons and a daughter. Her new ebook No God Zone is now available on Kindle.

If a luvvy can't take the heat, he should get out of the kitchen (and the Today programme)

I am second to none in my frustration with the BBC. For too long the corporation has been biased and smug, ageist and contemptuous of the Middle England that in fact has spawned most of its staff. But in this sea of right-on mediocrity, an island of intellectual rigour and proper investigation emerges. It's called Today. The programme has been part of daily life for so many for so long, that even our teenagers, reared on YouTube, know the score: robust (sometimes heated) debate on a topic in the news, chaired by a cast of presenters that is the best of BBC talent.

Teenagers, as I say, know this. Given that Graham Linehan co-wrote the irreverent and brilliant "Father Ted", broadcast in the 90s, he is not a tweeny. So there's no excuse for his complaining about his treatment on the Today programme last Monday. He was on to discuss his theatrical adaptation of "The Ladykillers". He claims in his blog that he was "lured" into the programme's studio . Come off it, Mr Lineham, anyone with a play to plug would hive their eye teeth to get a spot on Today. Once on the programme, he unfortunately managed only a poor performance, all dithery ("I don't know, I don't know how to answer that") and whiney, accusing the BBC of forcing him into an aggressive debate with the critic Michael Billington. What was he thinking? That he would be allowed a monologue advertising his new (if derivative) venture?

Throughout the debate (or non debate, as Mr Lineham refused to engage with Bilington), presenter Justin Webb remained courteous and clever. Not in Mr Linehan's view, though: he found the presenter "a pompous John Humphrys stand-in". Come, come, Mr Linehan. The only pomposity on the air waves was yours: you sounded like a luvvy in a tizz because his moment in the spotlight was compromised by others' doubts. Father Ted must be rolling in his grave at the thought of his creator acting like a diva flouncing off the stage because she hit the wrong note. Mr Linehan, grow up — and until you do, don't go on the Today programme.